Re: The Holy Spirit is the ONE that does the work. Take everything to the Lord in pr

I am so grateful to God for your caring, loving heart. I’m sorry you’ve been so distressed upon finding out about this suicidal person. This world is full of brokenness and evil. We are commissioned to bring the good news of restoration into such a world. But to take every evil we witness or hear about and somehow feel personally responsible for not “fixing” it is not what God wants. God has given everyone the freedom to choose: to obey him or to disobey him. God even let man “harden his heart” against God in the likes of Pharaoh to display his power through them. Yet, God is not responsible for Pharaoh’s sinful heart. God is deeply grieved, but he does not take personal responsibility for Pharaoh’s choices. God gives Pharaoh multiple chances to repent and to let God’s people go. But it is Pharaoh’s own choice to resist God and God honors his choice by further hardening his heart. So what I am saying is that you are not held guilty for someone else’s choices. We are held guilty for our own sins. That is the beauty of Christ’s atoning work. Jesus was not guilty, not responsible for our sins, yet he took full blame and was punished for us so that we may be set free from our guilt and sin. This is the wonderful news we bring to sin ravished world. We share this through our changed lives, our words, our love, our prayers, our tears in the hopes that they too may experience God’s transforming love. I hope you find relief in knowing that our job is bringing the message to the people, not saving them (that’s God’s job).

Re: The Holy Spirit is the ONE that does the work. Take everything to the Lord in pr

Originally Posted by Aboundingjoy

I am so grateful to God for your caring, loving heart. I’m sorry you’ve been so distressed upon finding out about this suicidal person. This world is full of brokenness and evil. We are commissioned to bring the good news of restoration into such a world. But to take every evil we witness or hear about and somehow feel personally responsible for not “fixing” it is not what God wants. God has given everyone the freedom to choose: to obey him or to disobey him. God even let man “harden his heart” against God in the likes of Pharaoh to display his power through them. Yet, God is not responsible for Pharaoh’s sinful heart. God is deeply grieved, but he does not take personal responsibility for Pharaoh’s choices. God gives Pharaoh multiple chances to repent and to let God’s people go. But it is Pharaoh’s own choice to resist God and God honors his choice by further hardening his heart. So what I am saying is that you are not held guilty for someone else’s choices. We are held guilty for our own sins. That is the beauty of Christ’s atoning work. Jesus was not guilty, not responsible for our sins, yet he took full blame and was punished for us so that we may be set free from our guilt and sin. This is the wonderful news we bring to sin ravished world. We share this through our changed lives, our words, our love, our prayers, our tears in the hopes that they too may experience God’s transforming love. I hope you find relief in knowing that our job is bringing the message to the people, not saving them (that’s God’s job).

Thank you so much for your encouraging words. i've surely now fully understand as everyone else have been giving me this sort of message. and you are absolutely correct.

Re: The Holy Spirit is the ONE that does the work. Take everything to the Lord in pr

Originally Posted by Aboundingjoy

I am so grateful to God for your caring, loving heart. I’m sorry you’ve been so distressed upon finding out about this suicidal person. This world is full of brokenness and evil. We are commissioned to bring the good news of restoration into such a world. But to take every evil we witness or hear about and somehow feel personally responsible for not “fixing” it is not what God wants. God has given everyone the freedom to choose: to obey him or to disobey him. God even let man “harden his heart” against God in the likes of Pharaoh to display his power through them. Yet, God is not responsible for Pharaoh’s sinful heart. God is deeply grieved, but he does not take personal responsibility for Pharaoh’s choices. God gives Pharaoh multiple chances to repent and to let God’s people go. But it is Pharaoh’s own choice to resist God and God honors his choice by further hardening his heart. So what I am saying is that you are not held guilty for someone else’s choices. We are held guilty for our own sins. That is the beauty of Christ’s atoning work. Jesus was not guilty, not responsible for our sins, yet he took full blame and was punished for us so that we may be set free from our guilt and sin. This is the wonderful news we bring to sin ravished world. We share this through our changed lives, our words, our love, our prayers, our tears in the hopes that they too may experience God’s transforming love. I hope you find relief in knowing that our job is bringing the message to the people, not saving them (that’s God’s job).

I too applaud her kind heart, as I applaud Christ giving it to her. I 'Amen' that we are not responsible for other peoples decisions, and that fruitless worry is not a part of the Kingdom of God. But this moves my spirit, because it borders on living out a creed of rightness other than living in Christ the person. The criteria in my life is whatever Christ makes clear for me to do I will do. This is what Jesus did with His Fathers will...Even unto death on a Cross. Indeed, we are to also test the spirit which our mind moves in toward, but to that end if God moves me intuitively by His Spirit to care and do a thing, then I should think toward it, and do it.

Am I willing to sacrifice myself for the work of another believer; or potential believer? - to pour out my life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of others? Or do I say, “I am not willing to be poured out right now, and I don’t want God to tell me how to serve Him. I want to choose the place of my own sacrifice. And I want to have certain people watching me and saying, ‘Well done.’ ?”

It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if we are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for us by God requires becoming a “doormat” under other people’s feet. God’s purpose may be to teach us to say, “I know how to be abased…” (Phil. 4:12). Are we ready to be sacrificed like that? Are we ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket - to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers us even if they think of those we served? Are we willing to give and be poured out until we are used up and exhausted - not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister? Some Christians cannot do menial work while maintaining a Christ-like attitude, because they feel such service is beneath their dignity.

We have no right to judge where we should be put, or to have preconceived notions as to what God is fitting us for. God engineers everything; wherever He puts us, our one great aim is to pour out a whole-hearted devotion to Him in that particular work. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.”

Re: Suicide

Shortly before I became Christian, I was slightly suicidal, but I hung on. I was suicidal because my life, at that time, was pointless.

Now that I have found Jesus, my life has a purpose, serving Jesus. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit fills me with so much joy, and I can feel the love God has for me in my own heart, God loves me so much now. He always did, but I didn't recognize it before. I can feel it as a physical feeling in my heart, and knowing God has numbered my days and has already given me a good life.

Without God, many people will find life purposeless. Which may be why they are reaching out to Christians? I'm not sure.

Re: Suicide

“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.” ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." -Leo Buscaglia

Re: Suicide

Originally Posted by Gracie_14

okay, so, i read someone's post on here and went to check his profile out because his response didnt sound "christian" at all. you're probably wondering where i'm going with this, soi'll try my best to explain. i found the person was a teen who was planning to commit suicide because he was feeling so lonely. it was frightening for me because i was thinking he was some sort of teen who was trolling around here. i dont know. it dawned on me that this person was actually going to kill himself any time soon. it makes me so sad no one didnt realise what state he was in. i think its too late for me to act (i sent him a pm but i dont presume he will get it at all)

do we believers have the responsibility to reach into someone's life who is contemplating suicide? and if we dont at all, is the blood on our hands? i just feel so bad that maybe if i could of seen his post earlier i might of had prevented him from harming himself. i really dont want to feel guilty like this… any thoughts???

At least you have done something to reach out this person, I would say that you've done everything you should or could do. I am very proud of you and your courage for going above and beyond.